Preparation of Fluorine-Free Waterproof and Antifouling Finishing Agent and Application on Cotton Fabric

A fluorine-free waterproof and antifouling finishing agent for acrylate was prepared using a simple emulsion polymerization method to optimize the addition amount and ratio of oxidant and reductant in the redox system. The finishing agent is copolymerized by Tris(trimethylsiloxy)silylpropyl methacrylate (M3T), stearic methacrylate (SMA) and glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). The polymer emulsion has an average surface tension of 19.8 mN/m and has good dilution, acid and alkali stability, and thermal stability and can withstand a use temperature below 170 °C. The experimental results show that the finishing agent can form a uniform polymer film on the cotton fabric's surface. The finished cotton fabric has excellent waterproof performance: a water contact angle of 147°, a spray test grade of 4.5, and a resist water-borne pollution performance grade of 4-5. It is worth noting that the water contact angle is still more than 140° after 20 washing cycles, indicating that the cotton fabric has good washing resistance. At the same time, following the green sustainable development, although the finishing agent does not contain fluoride that endangers the human body and the environment, it can repel the pollution of some ordinary vegetable oils, and the antifouling grade can reach 4.